Once home, it was duly covered in my favourite rub. It then sat infusing in the fridge for 2 days. Yesterday morning I injected it with some goodness, gave it some more rub and it was ready to go:
Rigged the smoker, the Flame Boss etc, and we were off. I used 4 fist-sized chunks of oak for the smoke, and a fifth part way through the cook to flavour some corn and beans.
I spritzed with apple juice roughly once per hour, and after 4 hours was getting a good bark forming:
It was a mighty cook too - I battled with keeping the water pan filled as well as it being really touch and go whether the coals would last. I had to wrap it as the stall just went on forever which was a shame, but the finished article was worth the effort, as well as the complaints from a hungry wife ("Sweetheart, drink some wine and relax, as soon as it is cooked I will serve it but you can't hurry a smoker, you know this"). All in it was 11 hours in the smoker before it hit the magical 203F and I took it out to rest:
About 20 minutes resting (I would have preferred longer, but Mrs Snowy was veeery hungry by now) and it was ready to serve. Out with the bear claws and as I had hoped it just broke apart. The fat had virtually all rendered, so I pulled it. The picture here is before I sauced it, as it shows the meat nicely (after saucing it is all darker - I have a beautiful molasses and cayenne pepper BBQ sauce but it is going on black in colour so would not have looked as nice). Served it with smoked corn, smoked beans and salad.
I have to say, this was a bang on pork butt. Came out beautifully and tasted superb, one of the best I have done I think. The bark on the outside was beautifully caramelised, the pork had a great smoke ring to it (look at the reddish tinge on the piece at the top left). Lots of hard work that one, but man it was so worth it. A nice package of it left with my parents today and enough for another good sized portion each at some point this coming weekend. Job done
